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From left: Vermilion Lions Club Santa Anonymous campaign co-ordinator Cliff Rolheiser and president George Matechuk display a Loonie Duck and campaign collection box, many of which are now visible throughout Vermilion and surrounding area. The campaign aims to help less fortunate residents enjoy some comforts of the Christmas holiday by providing gifts and food at no cost. Photo by Jonathan Krenz.

Vermilion's 2010 Candy Cane Countdown starts on Monday, November 22 and wraps up on Wednesday, December 22. It's a winter event hosted by the Vermilion and District Chamber of Commerce intended to raise awareness of Vermilion businesses.

"It's mainly to encourage people to come to Vermilion and shop here and also to encourage our own residents to stay in Vermilion and shop at the local stores," said chamber president, Marlene Beattie.

"You can see what kind of deals and products they have. Maybe they have exactly what you're looking for and you just didn't know it."

During the countdown customers can go to participating vendors, obtain a 'passport' and have it stamped when making a purchase. The stamp includes where the purchase was made and for how much. Once a passport has $200 worth of stamps it can be entered in a draw and a new passport will be issued.

Early bird draws worth $250 each will take place on Friday, December 10 and Friday, December 17 while the grand prize draw of $2,000 will happen on Wednesday, December 22.

"There is also the tree buddy program with cards on them from Santas Anonymous," said Beattie.

"They determine how many children need gifts, whether it's for a boy or girl and the age of the child. They'll need gifts for X number of toddlers, children and teenagers."

Santas Anonymous is a Vermilion Lions Club campaign that collects gifts and foodstuffs during the holidays for families in need.

The trees for the buddy program will be located at Long's Value Drug Mart, the Co-Op Grocery, Craig's Vermilion, European Hair Studio and at the Lakeland Mall.

Participating vendors will also have coupons for local businesses in a different part of town. For example, Lakeland Mall vendors will have coupons for downtown businesses and vice versa. If shoppers have coupons they do not intend to use they can be exchanged at the Chamber of Commerce for more suitable ones on Fridays in December (not including Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve) from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the chamber office.

The Christmas Light Parade will be held Thursday, November 25 at 7 p.m. starting at the Lakeland Mall and making its way down main street before ending at the Brunswick Motor Inn.

"This year's theme is 'Winter Wonderland' and float entrants can either go with that or do their own thing," said Beattie.

"The only things you need to have on it are lights because the parade is at night."

After the Christmas Light Parade there will be hot chocolate and cookies at the Elks Hall along with the chamber's first-ever tree festival.

"The tree festival will be local businesses that have decorated their own tree," explained Beattie.

The Elks Hall event will have a silver collection to fund the food and drink. Any extra money collected will be donated to the Santas Anonymous campaign.

"That's another reason we do the Candy Cane Countdown, to help with the campaign," said Beattie.

The chamber is working on a Breakfast With Santa event from which funds raised would also go to Santas Anonymous.

Call the chamber at 780-853-6593 for more information or to register your float.